After reading "The Da Vinci Code"
and watching the movie with the same title, I felt it necessary to write a bit about what
Christians may need to expect and how to use the openings the movie will create to give truthful testimony about
Jesus.

The "Da Vinci Code" attacks the very premise of Christianity, calling into doubt not only the accuracy and authority
of the Bible, but also the Godliness of Jesus Christ. Although hailed as "fiction", Brown ascertains that all his facts
are true, making this, in his mind, almost a "historical fiction". Let's start by looking at some the initial fallacies of the premise given in the "The Da Vinci Code" about the Bible
and Christianity.

Alex McFarland has compiled "The Top 10 Errors Found in 'The Da Vinci Code'"1. Listed on the "Focus on the Family"
web site, he brings the initial errors to light. Let's look at them.

Fallacy: The world was once dominated by goddess-based worship. Religion was originally matriarchal and later
(under Judeo-Christian dominance) changed to patriarchal monotheism (male dominated). (The Da Vinci Code, p. 124)

Fact: There is no evidence that any significant religious movement had dominant female deities: They were always
linked to their male counterparts, and usually in a subservient role. (See, for example, Tikva Frymer-Kensky's In
the Wake of the Goddesses (New York: Ballantine Books, 1993) and Craig Hawkins' Goddess Worship, Witchcraft, and
Neo-Paganism (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998).

Fallacy: The Bible has been extensively rewritten and revised. Therefore, its original meaning has been lost. The
Christian Scriptures "evolved through countless translations, additions, and revisions." (DVC, p. 231)

Fact: "Countless translations" is excessive hyperbole and vague generalization. Without a specific charge of what
was translated, added or revised, it is impossible to respond to this point specifically. However, consider the
following points:
* Translation issues for the Bible are not different from translation issues for any other document, and cause no more
difficulty. The quote implies that there is some great confusion over translation that is cause for concern.
* It is true that there are issues to discuss in terms of translating the Bible from ancient Hebrew and Greek to any
modern language. This is a natural function of all translation processes and in no way detracts from offering a "definitive,"
reasonable account of what was originally written.
* In fact, the means of transmission of the ancient texts, the voluminous quantity of manuscript copies, the
science of textual criticism and the art of translation ensure that any reputable modern translation of the
Bible is an accurate rendering of the original text. This subject has been covered so comprehensively and so
well by so many scholars that Brown's misrepresentation of the facts is inexcusable.

Fallacy: "Fortunately for historians ... some of the gospels that Constantine attempted to eradicate managed to survive.
The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the 1950s hidden in a cave near Qumran in the Judean desert." (DVC, p. 234)

Fact: According to Dr. Paul L. Maier, professor of ancient history at Western Michigan University, Constantine was
never involved in any attempt to eradicate any gospels. The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947 and contained no
gospels, nor any reference to Jesus. They contained portions of every Old Testament book except Esther, commentaries
on the Old Testament, some extrabiblical works, secular documents and business records. The Qumran community, which
wrote or preserved these documents, had nothing to do with Jesus or Christianity.

Fallacy: "The Bible, as we know it today, was collated by the pagan Roman emperor Constantine the Great." (DVC, p. 232)

Fact: Although the verdict is out as to whether Constantine was a true follower of Christ, he was not a pagan. He converted
to Christianity (regardless of his motives for doing so). And he did not collate the Bible. The Old Testament was compiled
even before the time of Jesus. The New Testament began to be recognized by the end of the 1st century. By the 2nd century,
church leaders were inserting quotes from the four Gospels into their writings. Athanasius recorded the earliest list of
New Testament books in 367 A.D.

Fallacy: The Bible was "hodge-podged" together over time and is not trustworthy. "The Bible is the product of man, my dear. Not of God.
The Bible did not fall magically from the clouds. Man created it as a historical record of tumultuous times, and it has evolved
through countless translations, additions and revisions. History has never had a definitive version of the book." (DVC, p. 231)

Fact: If men wanted to create a new religion, they would never choose one with a God-man as its central figure and a resurrection
from the dead as its foundation. (1 Corinthians 15:14, Ephesians 2:20). Further, if men had produced Christianity, it would be
man-centered, as are all other religions. In other words, man would earn his way into eternal bliss through his good deeds. Thus,
man would get the glory. In stark contrast, the Bible uniformly declares that man cannot work his way to God. There must be a
substitute that is acceptable to God according to His holy standard - perfect righteousness. Jesus Christ is that perfect substitute
- the one and only way to God. Therefore, God gets all the glory. (Isaiah 64:6, Philippians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18)

Fallacy: Many "gospels" existed recounting the life of Christ, some of which were suppressed: "More than eighty gospels were considered for
the New Testament, and yet only a relative few were chosen for inclusion - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John among them..." (DVC, p. 231)

Fact: The "gospels" to which Brown refers are the Gnostic gospels. They were written from about 250-350 A.D., several hundred years
after Christ lived. They were written to reinterpret the life of Christ and His teachings, based upon Gnostic philosophy. There were
never as many as 80, and they were never considered for inclusion in the New Testament.
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were accepted in the 1st century based upon their authorship and their use in the early Christian centers
of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria and Rome. The Gnostic gospels appeared after most of the New Testament was already in use and accepted
by the Church. Eusebius, the first church historian, affirms that the early church rejected these gospels as soon as they appeared.

Fallacy: Christianity as we know it was "invented" by people, rather than revealed by God. "At [the Council of Nicea]...many aspects of
Christianity were debated and voted upon - the date of Easter, the role of the bishops, the administration of sacraments and, of course, the
divinity of Jesus...[U]ntil that moment in history, Jesus was viewed by His followers as a mortal prophet...a great and powerful man, but a
man nonetheless. A mortal." (DVC, p. 233)

Fact: The Council of Nicea debated only one issue: Was Jesus coeternal with the Father? (See A History of Christianity by Kenneth Scott
Latourette, pp. 152-157.) Although Jesus' disciples were fearful skeptics who initially did not clearly understand who Christ was and what
He came to do, after the resurrection they willingly sacrificed their lives for proclaiming that He was indeed God in the flesh.
(John 20:19-28, 31; 2 Peter 1:16-18; Philippians 2:5-11)

Fact: None of the Gnostic gospels contain any references to a marriage between Mary and Jesus. There is no support for this claim
in the Scriptures or in early church traditions. In 1 Corinthians 9:5, Paul defended his right to have a wife (even though he was unmarried).
He cites as support the other apostles, the Lord's brothers and Peter. If Christ had been married, Paul would most certainly have cited
Him as conclusive support for being accompanied by a wife.

Fallacy: Christianity borrowed its practices and symbols from the pagan mystery religions. "And virtually all the elements of the Catholic ritual...
were taken directly from earlier pagan mystery religions." (DVC, p. 232)

Fact: A distinction needs to be made between New Testament Christianity and what developed over time as Greek and Roman converts brought
certain non-biblical elements into their worship. In particular, the Church at Rome abandoned the biblical feast days observed by the
early church in favor of the feast days of the pagan they were seeking to convert. And to some degree, they adopted the vestments and
rituals of the pagan Roman priests.
Most mystery religions, however, flourished long after the closing of the canon of Scripture. Therefore, it would be more proper to
say that Christianity influenced mystery religions, rather than the other way around. A careful observation of the mystery religion
stories reveals there is a vast difference between the events recorded in the New Testament and the mythologies of the mystery
religions. The mysteries were rooted in emotionalism and fantasy. In contrast, Christianity is rooted in history and evidence.
The mysteries were a combination of many religious systems, worshipping numerous deities. Christianity is rooted in the consistent
revelation of one God who ordained the pure and spotless sacrifice of His Son in payment for man's sin.

Fallacy: The book is based on fact. "All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate." (DVC Page 1)

If your church is looking for a unique way to bring the Word of God to it's children and young people, take a look at Doug Westbrook's Bible Story Murals. Each mural is based on the hand painted originals Mr. Westbrook painted at Central Baptist Church in Houston, Texas and represents a different well known Bible story.
They are available on durable vinyl wallpaper for easy installation. Click on the link to find out more.

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